US to give 475m dollars grant to Jordan

The US economic aid program to Jordan is the largest of its kind. (File photo)

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The United States has assisted Jordan with a $475 million direct grant, to support priority projects including the 2017 public budget.

Imad Fakhoury, Planning and International Cooperation Minister, and Jim Barnhart, Director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), signed the grant agreement on Sunday, as part of the US 2017 economic aid program to the Kingdom.

Fakhoury said during a press conference that the aid is expected to be transferred to the treasury account before the end of this month, making the total US economic “non-military" aid for this year $812 million.

“The rest of the economic support [$337 million] will be used to support economic development, the social sector and democratic accountability,” Fakhoury noted.

During the signing ceremony, the minister expressed the Kingdom’s appreciation for the US’s continued support to Jordan, saying "this increasing aid embodies advanced levels of bilateral ties and their strategic partnership. It is a step to express appreciation to the King's efforts to foster joint cooperation relations."

The US economic aid program to Jordan is the largest of its kind in the world, noting that the US government has provided Jordan with aid through USAID for more than 60 years.